The present invention relates generally to a kit for converting a conventional pitching machine into a video pitching machine, more particularly, to such a kit that can be used in combination with conventional, wheeled baseball and/or softball pitching machines to add a video component thereto.
Pitching machines and ball-throwing machines are well-known in the art and generally fall into four categories: (1) machines that employ a spring actuated arm mechanism to propel the ball; (2) machines that employ at least one rotating wheel or a pair of rotating, coasting wheels to propel the ball; (3) machines that rely on pneumatic pressure to propel the ball; and (4) machines that employ converging and diverging rotatable discs to propel the ball.
Wheeled pitching machines have been the industry standard for many years. Companies such at ATEC of Sparks, Nev.; The Jugs Company of Tulatin, Oreg.; and Bata Baseball Machines of San Marcos, Calif. have long marketed two wheeled pitching machines used in both a training environment as well as for commercial batting cages. In a commercial environment, these machines are typically installed in individual batting cages, frequently with ball retrieval systems. The machines are mounted at one end of the cage with the hitter at the opposite end. The only warning that a hitter receives that a pitch is about to be delivered is a light that may (or may not) illuminate above the machine indicating that a ball is about to be delivered. In some instances, operators use clear tubing as a ball feed to permit batters to actually see the ball as it rolls into the machine so that they can know that the next pitch is about to be delivered.
On the training side, the use of such machines is frequently a problem for serious players since the success of most players at higher levels (and faster pitching speeds) is an ability to properly time a pitch. Obviously, timing a ball as it rolls down a tube is vastly different from timing the windup and release of an actual pitcher in game-like conditions. This timing difference is one reason why some coaches discourage their hitters from working in batting cages during the season.
The incorporation of a video display in combination with such conventional wheeled pitching machines has been known for quite some time. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,744 which issued on Mar. 23, 1993 to Neil S. Kapp et al. for Baseball Batting Practice Apparatus with Control Means where a ball is introduced into a conventional pitching machine by a gravity drop which is timed in synchronization with a video display. The synchronization means of such device relies upon an audio signal generated by the video, without any regard to the status of the ball in the queued position. Furthermore, the ball queuing system of this device relies on gravity and is imprecise and subject to failure.
ProBatter Sports, LLC of Milford, Conn. markets its xe2x80x9cProfessionalxe2x80x9d line of video pitching simulators which employ substantially more complex video control systems in conjunction with a multi-pitch pitching machine. The ProBatter systems are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,649 which issued on Feb. 6, 2001 in the name of Gregory J. Battersby et al. for a Ball-Throwing Machine; U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,133 which issued on Feb. 13, 2001 in the name of Gregory J. Battersby et al. for System and Method for Establishing Pitch Parameters in a Ball-Throwing Machine; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,134 which issued on Feb. 13, 2001 in the name of Gregory J. Battersby et al. for Pitching System with Video Display Means, the disclosures of which are all incorporated herein by reference thereto.
Chin Music, LLC of Seattle, Wash. has also developed a computerized pitching machine which is marketed by Fastball Development Inc. for a product called xe2x80x9cAbner.xe2x80x9d This technology is described more fully in U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,350 which issued on Jul. 4, 2000 for Accurate, Multi-Axis, Computer Controlled Object Projection Machine.
Master Pitching Machine recently began marketing a product called the LED Pitcher which is an LED display system of a simulated pitcher which they mount in advance of their spring actuated Iron Mike machine. The machine utilizes two cams on the machine, the first to turn on the LED Pitcher and the second to release the ball. The LED screen is mounted adjacent to the release point of the Iron Mike machine so that the ball comes off the side of the screen. As such, portions of the arm of the LED pitcher are lost as the arm gets closer to the release point. In addition, the LED image is vastly different from a video image in that motion is in stepped phases as opposed to the fluid motion of a video image. Finally, as a result of the LED makeup, it is impossible to change pitcher images as is the case with a video image where interchangeable video images can be used interchangeably.
None of these systems specifically address the creation of a conversion kit for existing pitching machines to permit them to include a video component and, more importantly, the ability to be used in conjunction with baseball and softball machines, both individually and in combination with a common control cabinet and projection system.
Against the foregoing background, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a kit for converting a conventional wheeled pitching machine to a video pitching machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a kit which can be used for both baseball and softball machines individually.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a kit which can be used in conjunction with a combined baseball and softball machine which share a common control box and projection system.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a kit which permits precise introduction of the ball into the pitching machine.
To the accomplishments of the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention, in brief summary, comprises a conversion kit for converting a pitching machine of the type having at least one wheel into a video pitching machine. The kit includes: a projection screen; projector; injector means; and control means. The projection screen, which is adapted to be positioned between the pitching machine and a batter, includes an aperture through which a ball may be delivered to the batter by the pitching machine. The video projector must be able to project the video image of an actual pitcher onto the projection screen. The injector means is adapted to hold a ball in a queued position immediately behind the pitching machine and inject the ball into the pitching machine to be propelled toward the batter in synchronization with the video image. The injector means includes an electric solenoid for injecting the ball into the pitching machine. Control means are provided for storing the video image and displaying the video image onto the screen as well as for causing the injector to inject said ball into the pitching machine in full synchronization with the video image displayed on the screen.